• Super Admin
• 07 Mar, 2026

As part of the activities to mark the 2026 International Women's Day (IWD), the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), Friday, launched a digital platform, "Yes! Girls" Podcast to enable adolescent girls voice out their concerns in the society. To achieve this objective of seeing that girls are allowed to voice out in a male dominated society, UNICEF brought together students, government officials, and advocates at an event in Enugu to mark the global occasion with a theme: "Rights. Justice. Action. For All Women and Girls." The gathering which took place at Nile Cinemas, Enugu, served as the official launchpad for the "Yes! Girl" Podcast, which is a groundbreaking digital platform meant to shift the narrative from speaking to listening, drew girl students from City Comprehensive School Nsukka, Spring of Life Secondary School, and Modern Ideal College. Ngozi Izuora Songu, Adolescent Development Specialist at UNICEF, who opened the session emphasised that the "Yes! Girl" podcast is more than just digital content. "It is a safe, empowering space for girls aged 9-19 to discuss critical issues including mental health, education, menstrual hygiene, HPV prevention, and climate action. "By placing girls at the centre of the conversation, the initiative aims to dismantle the barriers of school dropout, harmful gender norms, and limited access to information that currently hinder many adolescent girls in Nigeria," she said. Also speaking at the occasion, Mrs. Mbah Esther, Director of Gender, Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Enugu state, praised UNICEF's efforts and urged the students to recognise their own potential while encouraging the youth to leverage the knowledge gained to speak out against injustice, abuse, and harassment. Barr. Annie Enweani, Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Enugu state, reminded participants that rights such as the right to education, property, and leadership -- must be actively defended. She emphasised that "Right to Action" means the current generation cannot remain passive, noting that at the current pace of progress, it would take centuries to close the gender gap. Excited at the opportunity offered by the event, some students expressed were delighted about the new platform. "I learnt that the opinion of girls matter and that she should not shy away from speaking out when necessary," said Ezeugwu Rita Ezinne, a student from City Comprehensive School Nsukka. Abigail Anike, representing the Young African Stars, noted that the event was a transformative experience that helped highlight the synergy between "beauty and brains," encouraging girls to embrace their full intelligence and capability. Highlight of the occasion was display of the podcast to show that girls can have their voice in the society without fear of molestation. Source: https://blueprint.ng/unicef-marks-2026-international-womens-day-launches-podcast-for-girls/